Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, Calif.

Since 1908, this Orange County city has played host to an over-the-top holiday event: the annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade. More than 100 holiday-themed boats – ranging from small canoes to 100-foot yachts – wind 14 miles around Newport Harbor for five consecutive nights. Owners spend months and up to $50,000 decorating their boats with tens of thousands of lights and elaborate Christmas scenes, and prizes range from best lights and animation to best humor and originality. More than one million people turn out to watch the Christmas Boat Parade every year.